The Date
by knockout34
Summary: Follow up to "Haunted". After ending the Halloween party with a kiss, Kailey and Colby are happy to let things move along slowly and simply. Unsatisfied, Megan and David join forces and send the two on a fancy date.
1. Chapter 1

"You are driving me insane," Megan suddenly exclaimed as she turned at the traffic lights.

"I was just saying that this way to Cal Sci is faster!" Kailey said, a look of shock on her face at her friend's sudden outburst. "It's direct access to Charlie's building."

"No, no, no, not that," Megan sighed. "You and Colby."

"Oh, here was go," Kailey sighed under her breath, rolling her eyes and running her hand over her face. Megan ignored her.

"It was a long time coming, all of us saw it," she said.

"'A long time coming'? I've been here for, what? Four months?"

"You two worked so well together right from the start!"

Kailey frowned; she was not in the mood to have this conversation.

"David was a part of that too, but you're not saying anything about me and him."

Megan rolled her eyes.

"You didn't kiss David on Alan's porch. And don't argue," she scolded as Kailey opened her mouth. "You know that David and I saw you guys."

"Fine, but I still don't see how it's any of your business," Kailey snapped, not being able to hide her frustration.

"Come on, Kailey, I wanna know!" Megan said, softening her voice and throwing a begging look over at her partner. Kailey rolled her eyes again but smiled.

"Okay," she gave in. "But you have to understand it's just not that great of timing."

"What'd you mean?"

"LAPD K9 Unit and the FBI are completely different. This type of fieldwork is taking some time to get used to. And…" Kailey looked down. "And you of all people should realize that Colby's not completely over what happened."

Megan paused for a moment.

"Yeah, I know, I've seen all the signs. I don't think he's ever going to get over it completely," Megan said. There was a small pause before Megan's face brightened and she got excited. "But, to me, this seems like perfect timing. You guys could help out each other! Think about it! I don't know why you won't consider this."

"I don't ever remember saying we weren't considering it."

"You bitch!" Megan laughed. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"You wouldn't shut up," Kailey grinned. "Look, I wasn't joking, the timing is weird. We agreed to figure things out after this case."

"So you're planning on doing something?"

"That's what I just said," Kailey answered, confused.

"Okay then," Megan said.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

David glanced over at his partner who was watching security footage from the bank. He had promised Megan that he'd try and get Colby to talk about what was going on between him and Kailey. At first, David wanted no part of it, but the Eppes' Halloween party had been two weeks ago now and Colby hadn't said a word. It wasn't like his partner to keep quiet about dates.

"So, what's up with Kailey, man?" he asked nonchalantly. He didn't look up from the files that were in front of him so it would seem like a casual conversation rather than an interrogation.

"Eh, just taking it slow," came the response. "We agreed this case is our top priority right now."

David raised an eyebrow. Colby had more than his share of bad luck with the LA dating scene and David didn't see him taking things slow.

"Really?"

"She's a little more important than some waitress, David," Colby said.

"That I can understand."

"Maybe things are going slower than I thought they would…" Colby said, looking at David.

"There it is," David said before they both laughed.

"So, did Megan put you up to this?"

David suddenly stopped laughing. He didn't know how, but there seemed to never be a way to get these things past Colby.

"Well….yeah," he stuttered a response. "But you know, I wanted to know too."

"Believe me, David, I would've said something if there had been more to tell."

"That's what I said, but…"

"Yeah, Megan, I know."

"Yeah," David said, returning to the files.

"Funny though, isn't it?"

"What?"

"How much Megan wants to know and yet she never told me about Fleinhardt?"

"It did cross my mind, yeah. But, man, like you said, it's not a random girl, it's Kailey…. she and Megan are good friends."

"Yeah, yeah," Colby said, waving it off.


	3. Chapter 3

Don gave a sigh of relief as he shut down his computer. Another case solved right on time for the weekend. He had just finished his report and sent it off to the director. It took him a few moments to realize that there were voices floating over from the next cubicle.

"Thanks a lot," Megan was saying as she hung up the phone. "Well, reservations are set," she told David as Don joined them.

"What? You guys going on a double date or something?" he asked.

"Oooh, that would be fun," Megan smiled slightly at the idea.

"Yeah, I think Claudia and Larry would get along," David agreed. "There's got to be something in their two science degrees that mix at least."

"Thanks, Don," Megan said. "But those reservations were actually for Kailey and Colby."

"Why can't they make their own reservations?"

Megan and David exchanged looks.

"Well, they don't actually know about the date yet," Megan said sheepishly.

"Oh, no. Guys, don't push it," Don said, rolling his eyes and running a hand through his hair.

"Why not? Everyone, including you, knew it was going to happen eventually," David argued.

"It's a bad idea, trust me," Don replied, checking his watch. "You can't push work relationships. They have to work things out themselves, okay? So, just cancel the reservation and forget about it. Go home, have a nice weekend," he said, walking away from them and moving to the elevator.

He could hear them discussing their options and hoped they'd make the right choice. The elevator door opened and he found himself face to face with his father and brother.

"Hey, we were just coming to look for you," Charlie said as Don joined them. "Dad cooked up way too much food again. Even with Larry and Amita over….."

"I didn't realize it was your mother's holiday party recipe until it was too late," Alan laughed.

"Yeah, sure, sounds good, I'm starving."

"You seem a little distracted," Alan noted. "I thought the case was done."

"It is. It's...Megan and David are trying to set Kailey and Colby up."

"I thought they were dating after the whole thing from the party," Charlie said.

"Well, they are, at least in their minds and quite frankly in mine. But Megan and David apparently feel it's going too slow."

"And you don't," Alan stated.

"No, you can't push these things. You can't dive right into a workplace relationship and expect everything to come together."

"You speaking from experience?" Charlie asked. He quickly looked down when Don glanced over at him.

"Yeah," Don said, making sure his tone presented that he was not angry at his brother. "Liz is still hesitant about sticking around here now. I could loose a good agent all because...well, you know. God forbid something happens between Kailey and Colby."


	4. Chapter 4

"You sure about this now?" Megan asked over the phone. "Last chance."

"I'm sure," came David's response. "Don and Liz...that was a rebound. This isn't the same thing."

"My thoughts exactly," Megan said before hanging up the phone. She approached the nearest apartment door and knocked. Kailey opened it within a few seconds.

"Hey, what's up?"

"You have a date tonight," Megan grinned, walking in as Kailey stepped aside.

"What? I do?"

"Well, David and I sorta gathered that, with the case and everything, you guys wouldn't have the time to plan things out. So, we thought we'd give you the opportunity," Megan explained as she led Kailey to the bedroom and began rummaging through her closet.

"Oh," Kailey said, taken aback. "Thanks….I think."

"Isn't this what you wore for that case a month ago?" Megan asked, pulling out a blue dress.

"Yeah."

"And this is the only dress you have?" Megan asked, reaching to the far back corners of the closet.

"Well, no, but don't get your hopes up," Kailey said, walking into the other bedroom and opening the closet. "I really don't do the whole classy dress thing."

"You wore these for cases too," Megan said, pulling out the first few dresses.

"Exactly. Most are from cases."

"This one?"

"The one undercover assignment in LAPD."

"This one," Megan asked. Kailey frowned.

"Huh, no, that's actually the one dress I bought," she said. "I didn't think I still had that."

"Can't go wrong with a little black dress," Megan grinned. "Come on, I'm here to help with whatever you need."

N3N3N3N3N3

"Okay, seriously man? Did Megan put you up to this too?" Colby asked as he tied his tie. "Come on, David, you know I wouldn't bail on her. You could have just texted me the address."

"My job is to make sure you don't skimp on the dress code," David responded. "Megan wanted extra insurance on that, and, quite frankly, I don't blame her."

Colby rolled his eyes as he straightened his tie in the mirror.

"Since when did you two become date experts anyway?"

"We're not claiming to be. We just….we want to see this work, okay?"

"You really think you guys are the only ones who want that?"

"Look, here's the address, okay?" David said, handing Colby a sheet of paper. "Reservation's all set under your name. Don't worry about it. Good luck, alright?" he said with a little laugh, clapping Colby on the shoulder.

"Thanks," Colby said sarcastically as David walked out the door. Colby watched him drive away before taking a deep breath and grabbing his keys.

Colby's GPS took him to an unfamiliar side of LA. He had been here once for a case, but never looked back. After parking, he resisted the urge to pace around by the front door. He was suddenly uncomfortable and nervous. Outside the suit-wearing FBI, Colby was still a typical Idaho guy, preferring jeans, a t-shirt, and a ball cap. That guy did not belong at a fancy four-star restaurant like this and it was definitely not what he had had in mind for a date with Kailey. He could only hope that they would be able to hold some sort of conversation, otherwise, this was going to be a very long and awkward night.


	5. Chapter 5

Colby took another deep breath when he saw Megan's car pull up in front of the restaurant. He caught a small glimpse of Megan's smile from the driver's seat before Kailey got out of the passenger's side. Colby stared. She was wearing a fitted black dress, accented with silver jewelry. Her red hair, typically tied tight in a ponytail, was now framing her face with soft curls. She smiled at him as she approached.

"Hey," she said.

"You look great," he responded.

"Not bad yourself," she said with her usual teasing grin.

"Well, shall we?" Colby asked, opening the door for her. They made their way into the restaurant and were immediately brought to a table in the back corner of the dining room. Colby had to wonder if David and Megan had specifically requested this secluded spot.

A waiter took their drink orders and then they sat in silence as they looked over their menus. As he looked it over, Colby couldn't help the other thoughts that were nagging at him. Kailey looked sensational, but it somehow wasn't a comfort. She looked as though she was pretty familiar with this sort of dating scene while he was feeling more and more out of place as the minutes ticked by. The waiter returned with their drinks, took their orders, and left them in silence again. Colby started to panic and started to look for something, anything to say.

"David and Megan sure know how to plan, don't they?" he asked as she looked around at the fancy dining room.

"Huh, something like that."

Colby frowned at the tone in her voice; he wasn't sure what to make of it. It must have shown on his face because she gave a short laugh.

"Sorry," she grinned. "It's just...I don't know, I guess this is really not what I had in mind at all."

"Really?" Colby let out a breath. "Good, because I've been thinking the same thing since the moment I pulled up."

Kailey laughed again and shook her head. The atmosphere between them suddenly relaxed.

"Uggg, it's almost like they don't know us at all."

"Well, in my case at least, I think they do and that's why we're here," Colby said.

"I'd take a sports bar over this any day."

N3N3N3N3N3

As the night went on, Colby and Kailey had a hard time not drawing attention to themselves. The restaurant became increasingly crowded which allowed them to view LA's upper class. They tried their best to hide their laughter at the pompous attitude of these customers and the small portions of bad food.

"You know, lots of people I grew up with would've loved to be here," Colby said.

"To each their own," Kailey raised her champaign. "I think everyone thinks of it sooner or later."

"Yeah, and then some realize they'd rather be in the mountains fishing," Colby smirked. "You, ah, you ever been fishing?"

"Catch and release," Kailey grinned. "Fish and I don't mix."

"Really?"

"It's not a serious allergy, but yeah, I try to avoid seafood altogether."

"Good to know."

They kept a lighthearted conversation going. Before long, they had paid the bill and were walking towards Colby's car.

"Promise me one thing," Kailey said.

"What?"

"We never do that again."

Colby laughed.

"Deal," he agreed. "Hey, how about we head to a bar?"

"We're not too dressed up for a bar?" she asked. "I really hate this outfit."

"Nah," Colby grinned. "Besides, I like that dress."

Kailey blushed and didn't respond. Colby leaned over and kissed her cheek before unlocking his car. He was just about to open the door for her when her phone rang. Colby prayed it wasn't Don with a case.

"Danvers," Kailey answered. Colby's worry was pushed out of his mind when Kailey's smile faded.

"What is it?" he asked as the color drained from her face.


End file.
